


Into the Silent Land

by AerithQOC



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Episode Tag, Series Spoilers, Spoilers for Episode: s09e10 Fear The Raven, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 22:25:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5266028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerithQOC/pseuds/AerithQOC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Clara’s feet touched the cobblestones and the warmth from Mayor Me’s home faded from behind her, it was like the courage she had mustered only moments ago faded with it. Reality had finally set in.</p>
<p>And she was afraid.</p>
<p>~ * ~ * ~</p>
<p>Clara's thoughts as she faces the raven. And her final wish for the Doctor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Into the Silent Land

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to "Fear the Raven" which had me in floods of tears and I needed to vent somehow. 
> 
> Obviously contains major spoilers for this episode.

The cold walked a straight path down her spine as she stepped onto the street.

People milled past her; some huddling close and scurrying home, whilst others meandered like they had all the time in the world.

All of them knew the raven would fly soon. 

When Clara’s feet touched the cobblestones and the warmth from Mayor Me’s home faded from behind her, it was like the courage she had mustered only moments ago faded with it and reality had finally set in.

Death. She was walking towards her death. She was going to die.

And she was afraid.

The numbers on the back of her neck throbbed desperately and she resisted the urge to scratch that phantom itch.

She had escaped her fate so many times before. It was her hubris as well as her trust in _him_ that had saved her so many times before. This time though? There was no going back.

Clara took a deep breath.

No. She would not be afraid. She _refused_ to be afraid. This was her choice, her path, and she didn’t regret what she had done if it meant Rigsy would be safe and he could go home. She knew the indescribable pain of losing someone dearly beloved to her and she would never wish that pain on his family.

So, this was to be her end. It had to come sometime, she supposed...

There were so many things left unsaid, so many things still left to do – 101 things she never got to finish though she had experienced 1,001 things she never thought she would ever do. Those things that so few got to do, a thousand lifetimes worth of things she would always cherish so dearly. Things that made her at peace with her fate.

But still...

_“Let me be brave.”_

There was a presence behind her, she could feel those eyes on her back. The bright, pleading eyes of her closest friend. The person she loved so much.

It wasn’t the same love that she held for Danny Pink but it was a love just as strong. And The Doctor was suffering so much.

She could almost hear his mind racing at a mile a minute, still going through every possible scenario like he could still find some way to get her out of this.

He was falling apart behind her and it made Clara despair even more.

She had seen the person that The Doctor could be when he was in pieces.

She had seen the Time Lord Victorious. She had seen the Oncoming Storm. She had seen the Valeyard.

She had seen the warrior and the hero.

She had seen the broken man left behind.

Clara never wanted The Doctor to have to be any of those again but she knew there would be no helping it. She knew that he would be hurt and alone and unsure and frantic.

_"Let me be brave."_

But she didn’t want him to bear the weight of her death nor did she want him to bear the suffering of those caught in his vengeful rampage.

She just wanted him to remember – to remember the good times they had. To remember the love, the running, the laughter. Remember the seas of stars and the people that sang to their gods. Remember the trains in space and the outlaws in the forests. Remember all those planets that gave them hospitality and the spaceships that gave them adventure.

Remember the future that gave them new perspectives and the past that gave them new friends.

And, of course, remember the present that always welcomed them home after it all.

_“Let me be brave... Let me be brave...”_

Remember not to be sad for too long.

_“Let me be brave.”_

Remember how to laugh.

_“Let me be brave.”_

Remember how to smile.

_“Let me be brave.”_

Remember how to be the Doctor.

_“Let me be brave.”_

And remember Clara Oswald as she was, not what she would become.

_“Let me be brave.”_

The raven hurtled towards her, faster and faster. Her heartbeat raced, faster and faster.

_“Let me be brave.”_

The last thing she heard was the Doctor’s breath catch in his throat before the sound around her faded into nothing. A deafening nothing that lasted an eternity.

_Let me be br-_

...

That eternity ended with a wail of anguish followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground.


End file.
